Challenge 2009
The independent card shop
The Designer
supplier
After 2 to 3 years of changing retail patterns and growing customer pricing
The one thing in our favour is that next
sensitivity, we now facing recession in earnest. The interest rate cuts late last
year everyone in this country is going to
year might well have encouraged a binge or two but the acute pressure on
be having a birthday, so in that sense
the economy is still a reality and with it, a likely change in the buying public’s
the business should not suffer too
mentality.
much.
In the last dive of the late 80’s and early 90’s life was less complicated.
People will still be buying cards and
There were fewer publishers, less competition from multiples and far less
gifts and the sentiment that cards carry
reliance on credit. Although independent retailers complained about rent
refl ects on the people they are sending
increases, in reality, they were tame in comparison with the last few years. It
them to as well as the purchaser, it is
was, however, a really bad time for the industry as a whole. There are many of
a very complex transaction. Of course,
us, still active in the business, who remember how terrible it was for any size
consumers will be seeking out value and
of retailer and their suppliers.
there will always be a market for cheap
For greetings and gifts, changes and challenges have been many over the
product such as multi packs of cards,
last few years. We have had a saturated market, low cost High Street product
which dominate the Christmas market,
and a growing reliance on overseas sourcing for competitive manufacturing.
but not for birthdays and other special
In differentiating product quality, publishers and manufacturers have been
occasions where the sentiment is more
using specialist print techniques and adding tricks and geegaws. These
important.
increase pricing and qualify the product but have also led to the buying public
However, there will be a shakeout and
questioning the cost of cards in retail.
the worst retailers will go. Many people
In a recession there will be a swing to a more traditional style of design.
decide to run a card or gift shop because
That is often synonymous with quality and skill. It will be harder for new
they think it’s a nice, easy thing to do.
design ideas (are there any?) to gain a foothold. Actually, that’s a polite way of
It’s not. It’s a tough business with more
saying that artistic excellence is more obvious to the end user than retail and
competition than ever from the multiple retailers.
publishing often admit.
To survive and prosper in the diffi cult times that we all face,
It should be obvious to retail buyers as well. I heard a lot of customers
independent retailers have to be on top of their game. They need
grumbling about the quality of the fi rst raft of sales before Christmas with the
exciting product, regularly changing displays and above all good
words ‘cheap imports’ and ‘patronising promotions’ being used by the public,
customer service. At Design Design we support our customers with
particularly, in the High Street.
fi ve product releases every year to ensure our retailers always have
How will retail survive? Communication and collaboration with suppliers at
something new and exciting to show.
all times can ease the pain. Decisive decisions on how much stock is needed
Roger Freeman, Design Design Inc
for 2009 does not mean reliance on Sale or Return. A publishing death knell
introduced by the High Street.
An open attitude on payment terms and a complete honesty about how
and when invoices can or cannot be settled is vital. Every business involved
with this industry needs to pay a supplier. Speaking from the designer’s point
of view and the end of the line, if retailers stop fi ltering through cash, we are
The Publisher
doomed.
“If I was allowed to make one major recommendation for retailers in
And fi nally I have a few words for both publishers and retail buyers from the
2009, it would be to take a good long look at their shops through their
design community. Please stop wasting our time and continuing to hover over
customers’ eyes.
concepts and the designs needed to fulfi l your needs. For designers, in this
“I would begin that process even further afi eld to start with,
day and age, time spent reworking an image into a completely different one is
getting out of their stores and taking a careful look at what the main
both farcical and for the small fees illogical.
competitors are doing. Then they can look more knowledgably at what
Time is money for us too.
they are doing: work out what makes their store special and what
Get a grip and make decisions without the input of less qualifi ed personnel.
products and services might make things even better.
If your in-house studios (publishers - listen up) can’t do the job, hire decent
“They will certainly need a section of ‘value’ cards; there’s no doubt
designers and pay them properly. Failing that it really is KBO for us all.
this will be a big attraction for consumers. And they should look for
Gill Davies, Greetings Today contributor
stock range extensions that make sense for their customers – social
stationery, gift bags, partyware, mementoes and so on. But these must
be lines that offer real value for money as well as quality, and that is still
possible without damaging their own margins.
“Being independent, they will know their customers far more TALK TO US
intimately than the multiples ever can. So, with a bit of thought and
Greetings Today isn’t interested in preaching, especially to
a fresh ‘look’ at their business, they can offer their customers a very
the converted.
focused approach. They can match their offerings more closely to the
people they serve, get special items in for people – deliver a far more
But we are here to offer a forum for debate and an
personal service. opportunity to share ideas, opinions and insight. We want to
“It is possible to win in the current environment, and at Simon
hear from you, not just on this subject, but on all aspects of
Elvin we will continue to do everything we can to support the UK’s
independent retailers.”
the business of supplying and selling greetings cards.
Simon Elvin
Please get in touch.
28 Greetings Today
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